Discover the dark skies

Lie on your back on a headland on a clear night and you feel like you are falling upward to slide the arch of the Milky Way. Orion strides across the sky; his belt drips fire. In the summer Sirius sparkles bright emerald green and every dawn Lucifer is the last to leave, burning bright into the sunrise. In Autumn the meteor showers come, dying sparks across the sky. Then in winter, on the coldest, clearest nights, when the planet’s magnetic field does battle with the solar wind, the aurora creeps south and if we are lucky and know when to look, we see it touch the horizon and set it alight.

There is nothing as awe inspiring, as romantic, as moving as stargazing and it is available to everyone who can get outside and look up. Bundle the children in layers and set them watching for the satellites that swing across our skies in regular metallic arcs. Or let the moon drive you to madness as you gather with friends beneath its slow light and watch it wax and wane over the sea.

This far west, far from the light pollution of cites and motorways, our skies are yours to explore and enjoy, and all for free.

Check out the time lapse video below made by local sculptor Adam Buick which captured the northern lights as they touched North Pembrokeshire – it’s beautiful.

Further resources to discover the dark skies of North Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire is home to a network of Dark Sky Discovery Sites; a nationally-recognised designation for top stargazing spots across the UK. Discover them here along with stargazing advice for beginners from the National Trust

Pembrokeshire’s wild and rugged coast boasts some of the best dark sky opportunities in the country. It is possible to observe the spectacle of the Milky Way or the constellations such as Orion with the naked eye with the added dimension of being able to view the night sky as you look out to sea.

This evening tour runs regularly and is a must for all bat lovers (they are adorable!) Enjoy a family friendly evening where the past meets wildlife. Explore Pembrokeshire’s most special historical locations. Follow footsteps to the past, look for bats and listen for their calls